Cereal Box Prizes

Does anyone else get cereal box prize envy? True, they aren't as common as when we were small, but I still am saddened that none of B's safe cereals (Corn Chex and Kix) ever come with cereal box prizes. What is the deal with that?

Well, I am posting tonight to remind us all of another type of cereal box prize-- the side-of-the-box recipes! every now and then, the cereal box prints recipes on the side that utilize that cereal as an ingredient. Granted, the recipes usually aren't safe for our kiddos but sometimes you can modify them to make them safe. Here is our modification to the corn chew "muddy buddies" recipe printed on the box. It is easy and my three year old helps me make them every time!

Muddy Buddies for the Corn Chex Cereal Box (with my modifications)
9 cups of Chex (or any cereal/puffs-- millet puffs, wheat chex, etc)
1 cup of Enjoy life chocolate chips (or other safe chocolate chips)
1/2 cup of sunflower seed butter (or other safe nut/seed butter-- hemp, quinoa, peanut, almond, etc)
1/2 tbsp vanilla
1/4 cup palm oil shortening (coconut oil, coconut manna, or any butter that coagulates would work here)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (or pulverize white sugar in the blender until powdery or make your own powdered sugar)

In a medium bowl, have your small child pour chocolate chips, vanilla, shortening, and sunflower seed butter. Have her carefully stir the mix. Remove spoon and microwave the mixture on high for 45-60 seconds. Have an adult stir the mixture until smooth.

Measure the cereal into a large bowl. Add the chocolate mixture and stir until well coated. Put the coated cereal into a large gallon to 2 gallon size ziploc bag (I prefer hefty one zip) and have your small child pour the sugar into the bag. Seal TIGHTLY and play catch with the bag (this is much more fun than standing there and shaking the bag) until the powdered sugar has coated the cereal pieces. Pour the coated cereal onto wax paper and allow to dry. Once dry, place in a new bag, seal and store in the fridge. Use this snack food for bribery or moments of mama desperation in which you NEED chocolate that is top 8 free.